Joseph T. is a commercial real estate broker and chairman at the Manhattan-based tenant-representative firm. Throughout his life, Joseph has developed a deep appreciation for “super sound.”
When he was growing up, the audio industry didn’t have great sound options, as stereo had just made its way onto the scene. “When I went away to college, I was always jealous of the rich kids who had better sound,” remembers Joseph. He finally got a tape recorder and headphones that he used to listen to his LP records.
A Passion for Superior Sound
During his time at Cornell, Joseph took courses with Robert Moog – an engineer and pioneer of electronic music. He was also the inventor of the first commercial synthesizer, the Moog synthesizer. Moog’s influence was pivotal in fueling Joseph’s interest in sound.
In graduate school, he bought AR speakers and a turntable and in the late 1980s, his first pair of electrostatic headphones. At this point, Joseph was hooked on sound and ways to improve it.
Over the years, whenever he could afford to purchase better components or even build them to upgrade his audio experience, he jumped at the opportunity.
“I was fascinated when the first Sony Walkman came out,” says Joseph. “The sound with the headphones was so superior to anything that came before it.”
Upgrading to In-Ear Monitors
When Joseph heard about the first in-ear monitors (IEM) on the market, he quickly invested in pair and really liked the sound. “They made my electrostatics sound like crap,” says Joseph of the new technology.
His first pair weren’t custom fitted and his second paid were, but back then, they were wired. As technology continued to improve, Joseph continued to buy new IEMs and his listening experience continued to improve.
A Decibel Above the Rest
More recently Joseph learned about the Bluetooth-enabled in-ear monitors from Ultimate Ears. It was then that Joseph decided to get new ear molds because it had been 10-15 years since he was last fitted for custom IEMs.
Joseph met with Dr. Kathy in our Manhattan office, located in the heart of Chinatown. “She was wonderful,” says Joseph. “I had my ears molded and we chatted about the process. I was pretty impressed.”
Dr. Kathy sent Joseph’s ear molds to Ultimate Ears and they sent back his first pair of Bluetooth-enabled in-ear monitors. “They are fabulous. They are a generation better than my previous IEMs.”
Joseph was so happy with his experience, he ordered a pair for each of his daughters.
He also ordered a set for each of the principal exercise physiologists at his gym at NYU.
The IEM Lifestyle
Joseph uses his in-ear monitors during his cardio workouts, while dining in noisy NYC restaurants, and anywhere else he wants to achieve superior sound and maximum in-ear comfort.
“I became completely and totally dependent on them when I work out,” says Joseph. “The music they play at the facility it’s great and they don’t have great speakers, so it was just loud and unpleasant.”
One day Joseph decided to try using his in-ear monitors, connected to his iPhone. “Number one, the sound was magnificent. Number two, I could just close my eyes and focus on something other than working out.”
According to Joseph, using IEMs has totally transformed his experience at the gym. “And it all stems from getting my ears molded accurately from Dr. Kathy,” says Joseph.
In the past, Joseph had tried Apple EarPods and other earbud-style audio devices, but he found that they would always fall out of his ears.
Getting his ears molded by Dr. Kathy, a highly experienced audiologist really made all the difference.
“When I get to the gym and twist my IEMs into my ears, they are in there like they are glued,” says Joseph. “And that makes a huge difference.”
Joseph is so satisfied with his experience working with Dr. Kathy and the entire team at New York Hearing Center that he’s referred his wife, his daughters and the trainers at his gym to see her too.
“Dr. Kathy is a pretty sharp cookie, she knew what she was doing, her people knew what they were doing, I had a short wait time and I was in and out of there quickly,” says Joseph. “I’d absolutely recommend them to anyone looking for a better audio experience.”
Looking for In-Ear Monitors in New York City?
New York Hearing Center has two convenient locations to better serve you. Make an appointment to see Dr. Kathy at our Manhattan or Brooklyn centers by calling (212) 966-3886 now.
